Most of us at this point once or twice have used a chatbot either knowing or without knowing. but have you ever wondered how they work?
How do we interact with them? What types of different chatbots are there?. Before we dive in and answer these questions, let’s quickly cover the basics.
What is a chatbot?
A chatbot is a “ computer program designed to simulate a conversation with human users, especially over the Internet.” Chatbots are often used in customer service, marketing, and other areas where automated communication with customers or users is necessary.
Chatbot and Artificial Intelligence
AI (artificial intelligence) and chatbots are related, but they are not the same thing. AI is a broad term that refers to the ability of a computer or machine to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. On the other hand.
Chatbots are a specific type of AI that is designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the Internet. While chatbots can be powered by AI, not all chatbots are powered by AI. Some chatbots are designed to follow a set of pre-defined rules and responses, and they cannot learn or adapt to new situations. These types of chatbots are often referred to as “rule-based” or “scripted” chatbots.
What are the different types of chatbots?
1. Menu/button-based chatbots
Menu/button-based chatbots can be found in a variety of places, such as messaging apps, websites, and mobile apps. They are designed to be easy to use, as users can simply select an option or button to get the information they need or complete a task.
Here is an example of how a menu/button-based chatbot might work:
User: “Hello, I’m looking for a pair of shoes.”
Chatbot: “Sure thing! What type of shoes are you looking for? You can choose from the following options: sneakers, sandals, boots, or dress shoes.”
User: “Sneakers.”
Chatbot: “Great choice! Do you have a specific brand in mind? You can choose from the following options: Nike, Adidas, Converse, or Puma.”
User: “Nike.”
Chatbot: “Got it! Here are some Nike sneakers we have available. Which one would you like to purchase?”
2. Linguistic Based (Rule-Based Chatbots)
Rule-based chatbots are often used in customer service or support contexts, where they can provide quick and accurate responses to common questions or issues. They are typically programmed to recognize specific keywords or phrases, and they respond with a pre-written message or set of instructions.
Here is an example of how a linguistic-based chatbot might work:
User: “I need help with my account.”
Chatbot: “I’m sorry to hear that. Can you please tell me more about the issue you are experiencing with your account?”
User: “I forgot my password and can’t log in.”
Chatbot: “No problem! You can reset your password by clicking on the ‘Forgot Password link on the login page. Alternatively, you can also contact our customer service team for assistance.”
3. Keyword recognition-based chatbots.
Keyword recognition-based chatbots are a type of chatbot that uses a set of pre-defined keywords or phrases to understand and respond to user input.
These chatbots are often used in customer service or support contexts. They are used to provide quick and accurate responses to common questions or issues.
This is made possible by the back-end program that runs these chatbots, which can recognize a specific set of keywords or phrases, then responds with a prewritten message or set of instructions. Here is an example of how a keyword recognition-based chatbot might work:
User: “I need help with my account.”
Chatbot: “I’m sorry to hear that. Can you please tell me more about the issue you are experiencing with your account?”
User: “I forgot my password and can’t log in.”
Chatbot: “No problem! You can reset your password by clicking on the ‘Forgot Password link on the login page. Alternatively, you can also contact our customer service team for assistance.
4. Machine learning chatbots
AI chatbots are programmed with natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms, which allow them to learn and adapt to new situations. They are more complex and time-consuming to develop and train than rule-based chatbots, but they can provide a more personalized and human-like experience for users. Here is an example of how a machine-learning chatbot might work:
User: “I’m looking for a new pair of sneakers.”
Chatbot: “Sure thing! What type of sneakers are you looking for? You can choose from running shoes, basketball shoes, casual shoes, or hiking shoes.”
User: “I’m looking for running shoes.”
Chatbot: “Great choice! Do you have a specific brand in mind? You can choose from Nike, Adidas, ASICs, or New Balance.”
User: “I’m not sure, just something comfortable and affordable.”
Chatbot: “Got it! Here are some options that might fit your criteria. Which one do you like the most?”
AI chatbots can potentially understand and respond in different languages and can analyze user behavior and mood to provide more personalized communication. They are a good investment for businesses that have a lot of user data and want to provide more personalized customer service and enhance user engagement. AI chatbots can handle customer queries from beginning to end without the need for human intervention and are available around the clock.
5. The hybrid model
This is the most commonly used chatbot among the mentioned above. This is because Hybrid chatbots are designed to take advantage of the strengths of different chatbot models in order to provide a more comprehensive and flexible user experience. For example, a hybrid chatbot might use a rule-based system to handle common questions and a machine learning system to handle more complex or open-ended queries.
For example, if a user brings another topic that is not among the listed prompts, the chatbot can pick up and answer appropriately.
6. Voice bots
Voice bots are designed to understand and respond to spoken requests and commands, using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to interpret and understand user input. They can perform a wide range of tasks, such as answering questions, setting reminders, making phone calls, playing music, and controlling smart home devices.
They are often used for tasks that are easier to perform with voice commands, such as setting reminders or playing music, and they can be especially useful for people who have difficulty using a keyboard or other input devices.
Examples of voice bots include Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google’s Assistant. And another special case example is Sophia the Robot. She communicates by using voice bot software powered by Ai
7. Appointment scheduling or Booking Chatbots
Appointment scheduling or booking chatbots can be found in a variety of places, such as websites, messaging apps, and mobile apps. They are designed to be convenient and easy to use, allowing users to schedule appointments or book services quickly and easily.
Here is an example of how an appointment-scheduling chatbot might work:
User: “I need to schedule an appointment for a haircut.”
Chatbot: “Sure thing! What date and time would you like to schedule your appointment?”
User: “Can I schedule an appointment for next Wednesday at 3pm?”
Chatbot: “I’m sorry, but we don’t have any available appointments at that time. However, we do have openings on Thursday at 2pm or 4pm. Which one would you prefer?”
User: “Thursday at 4pm works for me.”
Chatbot: “Great! Your appointment has been scheduled for Thursday at 4pm. Is there anything else I can help with?
8. Customer support chatbots
These chatbots are designed to provide customer service and support to users. These chatbots are often used to handle common questions and walk users through processes, such as booking an appointment or purchasing a product. If a support chatbot is unable to provide a response, it can pass the conversation on to a human support agent. Support chatbots can be used in a variety of industries, including banking, retail, human resources, digital marketing, and healthcare. They can help businesses in the following ways:
- handle repetitive questions and focus on more important user queries
- collect contact information
- Provide proactive support
- collect customer feedback
- save business resources.
9. Entertainment chatbots
Entertainment chatbots are chatbots that are designed to provide a unique and fun experience for users. These chatbots are typically used to improve engagement with a brand and provide entertainment value to users. Entertainment chatbots can be complex to build, as they require artificial intelligence to interpret a wide range of user inputs and provide original and humorous responses. Examples of entertainment chatbots include weather bots, gaming bots, and social media bots, such as those used by Netflix to write stand-up comedy routines for digital characters. One case example is: